Go see salmon in Seattle

There’s lots of talk about saving salmon and doing stuff like restoring urban streams or scooping pet poop or keeping cars tuned to protect the fish. So it’s nice to have a chance to actually see firsthand the salmon for whom these sacrifices are being made.

Luckily, it’s really easy to find a nearby, accessible location for watching the big ole fish that are returning from the oceans and Puget Sound to spawn and die in local creeks.

The folks at King County have put together this handy list of when and where to watch for the iconic fish, and you can call 206-296-8016 or go to this site for more information:

Best viewing through September (salmon talks twice a day)
Chittenden Locks in Seattle (Ballard)
For more info: 206-783-7059 or search web for “Chittenden Locks”
Sponsored by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Sept. 20, Oct. 4 and one other date TBA (9-11 a.m. daily)
Along the Sammamish River Trail, south of 85th Street Bridge, Redmond
For more info: 425-556-2822 or pholte@redmond.gov
Sponsored by the City of Redmond

Sept. 27 (1-4 p.m.), Oct. 2 (3-6 p.m.) and Oct. 4 (1-4 p.m.)
Along Bear Creek, north of Redmond
For more info: 425-788-5083 or www.watertenders.org
Sponsored by Water Tenders

Sept. 27 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.)
Along North Creek in Bothell, corner of 224th St. S.E. and 23rd Dr. S.E. in Canyon Park Business Park
For more info: swswint@snoco.org or 425-388-6476
Sponsored by Snohomish County
Late September to mid-November, daily during business hours
Bear Creek in Redmond, 12526 Avondale Road N.E. (behind Classic Nursery)
For more info: 425-882-1846 or lyhussey@comcast.net
Sponsored by Redmond Organization for Shared Environments
Throughout October – self-guided Mercer Slough fish ladder on Kelsey Creek in Bellevue
Call or e-mail first: 425-452-5200 or streamteam@bellevuewa.gov
Sponsored by the City of Bellevue

Oct. 11, 18, 19, 25 and 26 and Nov. 1 (11 a.m.-4 p.m. daily)
Four locations along the Cedar River near Renton
For more info: 206-245-0143 or www.cedarriver.org
Sponsored by Friends of the Cedar River Watershed

Oct. 11, 18 and 25 (10 a.m.-noon daily)
Rotary Park along Little Bear Creek, 19518-136th Ave. N.E., Woodinville
For more info: 425-489-2754, x2221, or debrac@ci.woodinville.wa.us
Sponsored by the City of Woodinville
Weekends from Nov. 8 to Dec. 14, with special activities on Nov. 28 (11 a.m.-2 p.m. daily)
Pipers Creek in Seattle’s Carkeek Park
For more info: 206-684-0877 or www.seattle.gov/parks/environment/carkeek.htm
Sponsored by the City of Seattle